As I write this from my cocoon on the edge of Highway 1, parked above the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by wildflowers and birds singing in every direction, I remind of nature’s incredible ability to transform. Change doesn’t always come easily. Often, it’s chaotic before it’s beautiful. But nature shows us, again and again, that transformation is natural, and even essential.
“The nature of life is not constancy, but change.”
In this time of rebirth, this blog is a gentle invitation to reflect on cycles, cleansing and cleaning rituals and the relationship you have with yourself and the environment.
In this post you will see:
The idea of cleaning vs. cleansing, mental and emotional purification through Saucha and practical reflections and journaling exercises. Let’s dive in…
Cleaning vs. Cleansing: What’s the Difference?
What cross your mind when you think about “cleaning”? What about cleansing?
Let’s start by sharing the difference between these two words. They might seem the same, but there are a few nuances.
While cleaning can be related to remove any external dirt, organize, remove any stain cleansing can be more relatable to deeper cleaning or purification of something internally.
That said, the two can absolutely work together. Starting from the outside (a tidy space, a nourishing meal) and gradually working inward (your breath, your thoughts, your patterns) is a beautiful, layered approach to renewal not only your physical space, but to tie in the internal practice of Yoga.
Purifying the Inner Self with Saucha
One of Yoga’s guiding principles for purification is Saucha, the first of the five Niyamas in Patanjali’s Eight-Limbed Path.
Saucha (pronounced Sow-cha) can be translated as purity or cleanliness, but its true meaning goes far beyond tidy surfaces.
“As we purify ourselves physically and mentally, we become less cluttered and heavy; purification brings about a brightness and clarity to our essence.”
— Deborah Adele
An Image to Reflect On:
Imagine a glass of murky water. You can’t see through it. Then picture another glass, filled with clear water — slowly being poured into the first. Eventually, clarity begins to return.
That’s what Saucha offers us. It’s not about perfection, it’s about lightening the load, letting go, and allowing clarity to rise — little by little.
How to bring Saucha to modern life?
Start with this gentle question:
Does this choice bring me closer to or farther from the life I want to live?
There was a time in my life when I held onto pain, heaviness, and patterns that no longer served me. It wasn’t until I acknowledged my own role — stopped seeing myself as a victim — that I began to shift.
The practice of Saucha isn’t about judgment or restriction. It’s about noticing. It’s about choosing clarity, moment by moment.
Even more importantly, it’s about allowing each moment to be pure as it is — without needing to fix or label it. When we let the moment unfold naturally, we become part of the larger cycle of observation without interference.
That, too, is Yoga.
Reflection Exercise:
Set aside a few quiet minutes, ideally somewhere calm and distraction-free:
- Sit comfortably and observe your breath, your thoughts and emotions as they arise.
- Close your eyes and keep breathing while noticing.
- Ask yourself and reflect:
- What thoughts or patterns feel heavy right now?
- What brings me a sense of lightness or clarity?
- Where am I operating from autopilot, and what would intention look like instead?
- Write freely in a journal or on paper, no structure needed.
Just observe and allow.
Flowing with the Cycles
There is no need to do it all at once.
No need to be perfectly pure.
You’re not a problem to be fixed.
You’re a part of nature.
And like nature, you move in cycles.
So whether you’re scrubbing your kitchen or sitting quietly with your own thoughts, cleansing can be sacred.
And that letting go, even just a little, is its own kind of liberation.
Be light.
Be fluid.
Be love.
— Carla Vido